Music makes my little heart happy

Don't get me wrong, I have always loved music. In fact, I don't think I can remember a time when music wasn't a part of my life.
From the days of my mom spinning around, with me on her hip, to the tune: " when the moon hits your eye...", to the days of miming the Spice Girl's song ' Spice Up Your Life' at my eighth birthday party, to the days of crying over some boy while Taylor Swift seemed to sing the perfect words in the background.

Music has always been there in one form or another.

Lately, however, it has taken on new meaning in my life. I have begun to overlook whether or not the song has a good dance beat, or whether the words seem to reflect my present thoughts and feelings. Instead, I just enjoy the pure joy of the music - : the way a simple kick drum and a tambourine can make a song come to life; the way a piano and a two-part harmony brings tears to my eyes; the way a voice can be sweet and raspy at the same time; the way an electro-tune can be altered into an acoustic version which tears at the soul; the way I can get lost in the beauty of an accapella vocal.

Not only that, but I find myself drawn (irregardless of my mood) to lyrics that are poignant and poetic and are written with wisdom and soul.

Yes, I am a self-proclaimed Indie kid and although I indulge in a few mainstream tunes now and again, it is the music of City and Colour, Brooke Fraser, Darwin Deez, The Civil Wars William Fitzsimmons, Hall and Oates, Sufjan Stevens, Cinematic Orchestra, Angus and Julia Stone, Newton Faulkner and so many more that really makes my little heart as happy as can be.

Its the kind of music I can listen to while lying on my bed contemplating life, while cleaning my room, while chilling at a braai with mates, while feeling sad and while feeling happy. It never gets old. So thank you to all those artists who avoided mainstream and went on their own mission.

My soul is grateful.

Here are some beautiful lyrics to one of my favourite songs by Brooke Frasier and William Fitzsimmons.

I DON'T FEEL IT ANYMORE

Hold on this will hurt more than anything has before
What it was, what it was, what it was
I've brought this on us more than anyone could ignore
What I've done, what I've done, what I've done

I've worked for so long just to see you mess around
What you've done, what you've done, what you've done
I want back the years that you took when I was young
I was young, I was young but it's done

Oh, take it all away
I don't feel it anymore
Oh, take it all away

Oh, take it all away
I don't feel it anymore
Oh, take it all away

We'll fall just like stars being hung by only string
Everything, everything, here is gone
No map can direct how to ever make it home
We're alone, we're alone, we're alone

Oh, take it all away
I don't feel it anymore
Oh, take it all away

Oh, take it all away
I don't feel it anymore
Oh, take it all away

                   

Winter Warmth on the Streets

In the past month I have come to truly appreciate the value of money after quitting my job as a waitress and having to battle out the months expenses without a constant income. There's only one word for it - humbling. I have been avoiding clothing shops like the plague because I know I don't have the money to splurge on unnecessary luxuries like warm winter jerseys.

However, amidst the " financial crisis" of my life, my eyes were really opened to the fact that, although I may not be the richest kid on the block, I am extremely blessed to have warm clothes, warm food and a heater in my house this winter. I say this because I recently heard an excerpt on the radio about giving old jerseys and warm clothes to people we see on the street who have nothing to keep warm. This really got me thinking about how many people I drive past every day, sometimes at 10pm at night, who are wearing mere scraps as clothing, are usually barefoot, and are sometimes even walking in icy winds and rain just so they can get some money from passing drivers. It breaks my heart to even think that I could drive past those people with the heater in my car on full blast and a hoodie to keep my body warm, and yet still complain that I don't have enough money to buy myself more jerseys.

After I heard that piece on the radio, I went home straight away, put about seven of my old and new jerseys and hoodies onto the passenger seat of my car, and handed them out to anyone I saw that looked cold or in need of something other than a piece of sackcloth to wear. I wish I could warm up every person on the street.

People often say to me " what's the point of giving them clothes or food when they don't even appreciate it. All they really want is money for glue and alcohol ".

Well this is what I say in response to that.
Did anyone ever stop a street kid and ask him why he sniffs glue? I bet you his answer won't be that it tastes better than a home cooked meal. No, his answer will probably go something like this :
" Glue makes me warm inside so that I cannot feel the cold. It also takes away the feelings of hunger, and makes me forget about the pain and the sadness of my life on the street because it puts me on a euphoric high ".

What I believe is that if those street kids were being provided with love, food, clothing and warmth, the need for glue would disappear and it would be easier to stop the addiction.  An amazing quote I once heard ( can't remember who it was by) was : When people are on the street holding up signs asking for change, maybe they are not referring to money".

What have we got to lose by gathering some jerseys, blankets, warm pyjamas, or cans of food that we have lying around most probably in excess, and distributing them to the people we drive past on a daily basis. You'll be amazed at how such a small, random act of kindness can affect a person's life in the long run. If you have spare time on your hands, go a step further - get a group of friends together, cook a big pot of stew, take it to a place where you know there are people in need, and sit down and have a meal with them. We are all humans trying to find our way in an infinite universe and at the end of the day, regardless of what Maslows Hierarchy of Needs says, our greatest need is to be loved. So go and love all those people who so desperately need it.

I don't have a job, I live in a small house, I don't have my own car and I can't afford expensive clothes...but to that lady on the street with a baby, I am a millionaire - and "millionaires" need to be parting with their riches so that the poor can survive.

I know I wrote a post recently on a similar topic, but that's because it's something I am immensely passionate about, so I will keep talking and writing about it until I can no longer and I hope that you don't just read this and "like" it, but rather read it and then go straight to your cupboards and grab those jerseys and blankets.